Named vs BIND: Key Differences in DNS Server Implementations Explained for Developers


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In the DNS ecosystem, named refers to the actual DNS server daemon (name server daemon) that runs the DNS service, while BIND (Berkeley Internet Name Domain) is the complete software package that includes named along with various utilities and libraries.

The BIND package typically includes:

• named (the DNS server daemon)

• dig (DNS lookup utility)

• nsupdate (dynamic DNS updates)

• rndc (remote name daemon controller)

Here's a basic named.conf configuration snippet for a caching DNS server:


options {
    directory "/var/named";
    recursion yes;
    allow-query { any; };
};

zone "." IN {
    type hint;
    file "named.ca";
};

Modern BIND implementations have evolved significantly:

• BIND 9 (current stable version)

• BIND 10 (discontinued, features merged into BIND 9)

• Recent versions support DNS-over-TLS, DNSSEC, and other advanced features

When running named as part of BIND, you can optimize performance with:

• Threading models (master/slave vs multiprocess)

• Cache tuning parameters

• View-based configurations for split DNS

BIND provides additional security features beyond the basic named daemon:

• TSIG (Transaction Signature) support

• ACL (Access Control List) management

• DNSSEC validation tools

The rndc utility included with BIND allows administrative control:


# Reload configuration without downtime
rndc reload

# Show server status
rndc status

A typical enterprise deployment might use:

• BIND package installed on multiple servers

• named instances configured as masters and slaves

• rndc for centralized management

• dig for troubleshooting

In the DNS world, named and BIND are often used interchangeably, but they represent distinct concepts:

  • BIND (Berkeley Internet Name Domain): The complete DNS server software suite developed by ISC
  • named: The actual daemon/process that runs as part of BIND to provide DNS services

The BIND package includes multiple components:

# Typical BIND installation components
bind-9.16.33/
├── bin/
│   ├── named (the actual DNS server daemon)
│   ├── rndc (remote name daemon controller)
│   └── dig (DNS lookup utility)
├── etc/
│   └── named.conf (main configuration)
└── var/
    └── named/ (zone files directory)

When working with BIND systems, you'll interact with both concepts:

Starting the Service

# Starting BIND service (systemd)
systemctl start named

# Checking BIND version
named -v

Configuration Example

// Sample named.conf options section
options {
    directory "/var/named";
    recursion yes;
    allow-query { any; };
    
    // BIND-specific features
    dnssec-validation auto;
    managed-keys-directory "/var/named/dynamic";
}
Aspect named BIND
Scope Executable process Complete software suite
Function DNS resolution service Includes tools, libraries, docs
Versioning Same as BIND version Package version (e.g., BIND 9)

Understanding this distinction helps when:

  • Troubleshooting ("named process crashed" vs "BIND installation corrupted")
  • Upgrading (BIND packages include named updates)
  • Securing (named runtime permissions vs BIND package integrity)

Showcasing BIND features through named configuration:

// Advanced ACL configuration
acl "trusted" {
    192.168.1.0/24;
    localhost;
};

zone "example.com" {
    type master;
    file "/var/named/db.example.com";
    allow-transfer { trusted; };
    allow-update { none; };
    
    // BIND 9+ feature
    inline-signing yes;
};